This site aims to inform and mobilize Beverly parents to take an active role in all issues related to the funding and operation of the city's schools. It was launched in the spring of 2008, when the city saw its first-ever override attempt fail, followed by the closure of a nearly-new elementary school. Subsequent years have seen further cuts that have led to larger class sizes across the district. While the opening of an impressive new high school and plans to replace the city's aging middle school give us reason to be optimistic, the school community must be ever vigilant in demanding appropriate school funding by city and state governments, and better community communications from the district and School Committee.

9 comments:

We as a community MUST override prop 2 1/2!!! As was said in April 1st meeting that this would be just a bandaid...no doubt, it is. However, we NEED the time to come together and thoughtfully analyze the problems of the school system's budget shortfalls and come up with a long term plan. Please spread the word to the people in your neighborhoods who do not have children in the public schools...I think our kids are worth a couple of Starbuck's or Dunkin's coffees each week.

It felt like a movie where the ending just leaves you hanging. Shouldn’t someone, specifically Mayor Scanlon, have address the crowd with at least some closing comments last night? I would have thought that seeing such an outcry from the concerned citizens of Beverly, (by whom he was elected), would have warranted a few words of empathy!!!

FYI – Govenor Patrick is on Eagan & Braude WTKK talk radio 96.9 between 1:00 and 2:00 tomorrow April 3. He appears on that show the first Thursday of each month and takes listener calls. Marjorie Eagan has been especially sensitive lately to the concerns of the mis-handling of our tax dollars at the local and state level. If someone can get a call through it may be at least an opportunity to voice our concerns over the airwaves

I agree with cbh that in closing Mayor Scanlon could have at least thanked us for our concern as manyspeakers thanked him for listening.This lack of response seems TYPICAL and just like the proposal UNACCEPTABLE. Kudos for those parents who spoke out and informed those of us who had no idea that this proposal even existed. If not for your action there no doubt would have be no meeting to rebuke this rotten disservice to us as a community. I also could not help but notice some of the panel members talking to each other seemingly bored while speakers were at the podium. Again TYPICAL and UNACCEPTABLE. As for the problem at hand I'm not so sure I agree that using prop 2 1/2 is the way to go. Nice gesture yes- solution no. Ok it buys time but is this the only way to buy time? Can we not demand an emergency meeting? A working meeting this time. Demand a handout that shows an actual breakdown of revenue and expenses by line item for last year? How can we as a community put our heads together an offer real solutions and an alternate proposal when we were given 6 days and a bunch of subtotals. And yes I am saying we as a community need a means to think outside of the box be innovative and be part of the solution. To work in groups to come up with our own proposal. I heard nothing last night that left me feeling ok they heard us now they will go back to the drawing board and try harder. I left thinking it's up to us. We need the community to put our resources together and come up with our own proposal. If we just took the quick fix of prop 2 1/2 we are not sharing this burden equitably among community members that might be a renter and want a way to help too. Why should we reward this disservice by saying yes we accept that you have mismanaged funds yet again, took it upon yourself to send 2 months of valuable time to work on your own proposal but let us spend 30k of our money to hold an emergency vote and try to get you 2.5 mil in 90 days. How does this address and correct the mismanagement? I would not reward this behavior with my own child .Why should I be denied the actual facts the opportunity to see the problem and decide for myself whats broken and needs to be fixed. What avenues can be explored? Dr. Hayes took too long to get the details to the public. why????? I thought he has his position because of his knowledge and expertise. Why did he use his power to disclose this to us so late in the game. What was his interest in leaving us only with his proposal? What can I take with me from this to trust this system enough to support it? How do WE the community get back to the drawing board with factual information to move forward from here?

I attended last night's meeting along with 1,000 others. It was heartening to see what brilliant, well-spoken, intelligent and passionate people live in this community. We are lucky to have such a wonderful community fighting for our most precious commodity.

That said...it was absolutely abhorrent that the meeting ended with a simple "Thank you for coming". Not a word from the Mayor, not a word from the Superintendent. Not one incling of "what happens next". It ended with a rambling of how we can't really change healthcare costs and then a "thanks for coming".

What was the purpose of the meeting? Was it to appease the "hysterical mothers" and give us a "say" to make us feel like we "tried"? I'd like to know what happens now. What happens now? Who is going to answer our questions and address our concerns proposed last night?

I thought last night was a major victory in that the tone was positive, people offered to help develop alternatives and everyone agreed that Beverly Schools are doing a great job and we all want that to continue. I think it would be good to keep a steady stream of letters to the editor to both the Citizen and News along these same lines. That will ensure that the story doesn't die.

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